Last weekend was a Karate Weekend!

Last weekend I shot a Karate Event. I took more than 2000 pictures! I was using shooting bursts of 12 fps trying to capture all the most important moves of the athletes and as a result I ended with a huge amount of pictures that I'm still processing. I hate deleting pictures other than those that are not in focus, and when you shoot burst you have to delete pictures even if they are sharp, otherwise you are going to fill your backup drive really quick. 

 

I'm having a hard time choosing which ones are my favorites — I like all of them. What started as taking pictures of our grandsons quickly turned into photographing the whole team, as usual. I may have missed some of them, as many were competing at the same time — and I haven’t yet figured out how to be in two places at once!

Big thanks to Kaufmann's Karate (#kaufmannskarate) for allowing me inside the arena to capture these moments.

Note: All pictures of the event are located in these two pages:

1st: https://tinyurl.com/r3u9kdwu

2nd: https://tinyurl.com/bhe7ssxs 

 

You are wrong

If you're one of those who believe DSLRs are better than mirrorless cameras, you might be making a mistake.

 

 If you're buying today, and especially if you're shooting:

•     Sports
•     Wildlife
•     Events
•     Video
•     Low-light environments

Then a mirrorless camera of the same professional tier will usually outperform a DSLR. The technology has matured — Canon R3, Nikon Z9, Sony A1, etc., are at least equal to, and often better than, their DSLR counterparts (like the 1D X Mark III or D6).

But if you're:

•     Deep into a DSLR lens ecosystem
•     Prefer OVF shooting
•     Working in situations where battery life and toughness matter more than speed

Then a DSLR is still a strong, reliable tool.

 Mirrorless is the future — and the present — especially for high-level work. DSLRs were fantastic and still hold up in many scenarios, but the flexibility, AF performance, and video capabilities of mirrorless now tip the scale clearly in their favor.

Note for myself: I wonder how many hits this article will get just because of the tittle. ;-) 

Stop shooting at 100 ISO!

There was a time, not long ago, when shooting at the lowest possible ISO—100—was a priority for me. Today, I don’t care.

Can you guess the ISO used in the photo above? 25,600! Yet it looks like it was taken at ISO 800 or lower. Thanks to the performance of cameras like my Canon R6 Mark I and the power of post-processing software such as DxO PureRaw (my favorite), Topaz Photo AI, and Lightroom Classic, it’s now possible to achieve remarkably low noise levels—easily cleaned up with these tools. 

Results like the photo above made me change my default approach—from manually selecting the ISO to simply using Auto ISO.

What do you like and what do you dislike about Canon?

This is a good question. 

I love Canon's color science — the colors straight out of the camera are natural, vibrant, and especially flattering for skin tones. Whether shooting landscapes, portraits, or wildlife, Canon’s color rendering consistently delivers pleasing and true-to-life results. No wonder why it's one of the reasons many photographers trust Canon for both professional and personal work. 

 Another point that I love is the ergonomic design — they just feel right in your hands. Whether you're holding an entry-level DSLR or a high-end mirrorless body, Canon has consistently prioritized comfort and usability. The grip is deep and well-contoured, allowing your fingers to wrap around it naturally, which is especially important during long shooting sessions or when using heavier lenses.

Buttons and dials are intuitively placed, so you can make quick adjustments without taking your eye off the viewfinder. The layout feels purposeful — not overcrowded, but with just enough control at your fingertips to stay in the flow of shooting. Even smaller models retain that same thoughtful design, making them easy to hold and operate with one hand.

This attention to tactile experience isn't just about convenience; it’s about confidence. When a camera feels solid, balanced, and easy to operate, you’re more likely to focus on creativity rather than fumbling with settings. For many photographers — beginners and pros alike — that’s part of what makes shooting with a Canon feel so natural.

If you’re shooting wildlife or using heavier lenses, Canon and Nikon generally offer a more comfortable grip. If you're after compactness or cutting-edge tech, Sony leads — but you may sacrifice a bit of tactile comfort. 

Photo taken with a Canon R6.

What I dislike? The lack of third-part lenses for RF Mount. I believe Canon is taking advantage of the lack of third-party options for the RF mount to keep prices high. But to be fair, Canon’s prices aren't wildly higher than Sony's or Nikon's first-party lenses. 

Other than that, I love Canon. Keep in mind that I have used Nikon and I have used Sony. Nothing is wrong with these brands.   

A shot that I'm looking to replicate this year

Back in 2018 I took this picture. 

In St. Augustine, Florida, the Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century Spanish stone fortress, hosts historical reenactments that include live cannon firing demonstrations. These are part of educational and ceremonial programs conducted by National Park Service rangers and reenactors in Spanish colonial uniforms. I was lucky enough to be there at the right moment when this ceremony was being played in 2018 and managed to get this shot. According to Google these demonstrations, still, usually take place at on weekends at 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, and 3:30 PM. We will be there on a weekend and be busy during Saturday shooting a Karate competition, but we are planing to visit the downtown on Sunday. 

That's the logistic behind the shot. Technically, I shot this picture using a Nikon D5200, at 1/800 with an ISO of 100.  Now I'm armed with a Canon R6 Mark I, I'm planning to take a Tamron 28-300mm on this trip to have more flexibly in the angle. From the point of view of settings, I'll set the camera in Shutter Priority with the lens wide open and Auto ISO with a shutter speed of 1/1000. Shutting a fast burst, I do not see a chance of missing the shot with the Canon R6 and these settings. A key point is to start shooting right before the cannon is fired.

As you can see, if you want to capture specific shots, you need to analyze the situation and mentally prepare a plan that includes your camera settings. This is where knowing how to shoot in Manual, Aperture Priority, or Shutter Priority becomes a real advantage. Shooting in full Auto, on the other hand, is unlikely to deliver the results you're after.

By the way, I used ChatGPT to check these settings and surprisedly enough, this AI took recommended the same settings. 

Here is an interesting fact, I asked ChatGPT how using the Tamron 28-300 lens would affect my shooting strategy and here is the answer:

How the Tamron 28-300mm Affects Your Setup

🔹 1. Variable Aperture Lens

• The max aperture shrinks as you zoom:

  • At 28mm: f/3.5

  • At 300mm: f/6.3

• Implication: If you're shooting at the long end (which you probably will), the lens is limited to f/6.3, so less light reaches the sensor. This may force:

  • Higher ISO (expect ISO 400–1600 depending on light)

  • Or slower shutter speeds if you're in Aperture Priority — which is why Shutter Priority is the better choice here.

✅ Your Move: Stick with Shutter Priority and set a minimum of 1/1000s. Let the camera open the aperture (up to f/6.3 at 300mm) and raise ISO as needed.

---

🔹 2. Image Stabilization (VC)

• The lens has Vibration Compensation (VC), which helps with camera shake, especially at longer focal lengths.

• BUT: It won’t help freeze subject motion (like the flame/smoke). That’s where fast shutter speed matters more.

✅ Your Move: Keep VC enabled for handheld shots, but don’t rely on it to freeze fast action.

---

🔹 3. Autofocus Performance

• This lens is versatile, but its autofocus speed isn't as fast as a high-end Canon RF lens.

• It might hunt in lower light or with fast-moving subjects — but for a static cannon setup, it’s fine.

✅ Your Move: Pre-focus on the cannon (manual focus or AF-ON button). Use Servo AF only if people are moving into the frame.

Between the EF70-200 L and the Tamron 28-300, ChatGPT selected the EF70-200 for this shot, but also mentioned the fact that the Tamron 28-300 was going to give me more flexibility, specially when I'll be shooting different scenarios in this visit. 

 

 

Never struggle with autofocus again

 I wish I had watched a video like this one from Jan Wegener explaining how to achieve focus in all wildlife photography situations when I started photographing birds and other animals. 

 If you have not subscribed to his channel, go ahead and do it. You won't regret it. 

Our grandsong Liam is asking

He asked where I photographed the hummingbirds and how I did it. He's only 8 years old, but he's already shown some interest in photography. Furthermore, he owns a point-and-shoot camera and understands how difficult it is to photograph wildlife—especially birds. 

 All the hummingbirds pictures I have been posting lately were taking at a local park, the Crews Lake Wilderness Park. I have been visiting this park every weekend for the last two years. During this period of time I have seen hummingbirds few times and managed to take one or two pictures of them. 

But over the past two weeks, I've taken nearly 50 pictures of them, both perched and in flight, and that probably sparked his curiosity. 

How did I do it?

As with any other wildlife, the first step is to know where they’ve been seen. There are many online sources where photographers and birders report their sightings. But in this case, I had spotted them a few times myself, so I knew for a fact they were there. The next step was to take note of where I saw them and what plants and flowers were in those areas. I noticed that they were particularly attracted to a flower called by locals Firebush (Hamelia patens). It's a native plant to Florida and other tropical regions, known for its tubular, reddish-orange to yellow flowers, which are very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. I spent time, hours, watching when and how often the hummingbirds visit the plants. Taking note of their preferred flowers and approach patterns — they tend to follow routines.

Hummingbirds flap their wings up to 70 times per second, so I used a shutter speed of 1/4000 ~ 1/5000 to freeze motion. For wing blur (artistic effect), you can try around 1/500s to 1/1000s, but that did not work for me because they were moving too fast from one flower to another. Using these fast shutter speed will result in a high ISO (25600) specially if the flowers are located in a shaded area. That means that a good post editing software is needed to clean the noise in these pictures. I used LrC and DXO PureRaw. 

I was predicting their flying pattern, pre-focusing in particular flowers, making it easier to focus on the bird approaching that area. Be patient, I spent hours standing quiet without moving to be sure that they got used to my presence. In 3 hours, I managed to take just 10 or so good pictures.  

You need to shoot bursts, in my case, using a mechanical shutter mode, from 4 to 12 frame per seconds in my Canon R6. Do not be surprised if you get one or two good pictures in each burst.  

Of course, you need a zoom lens for these photos. If the hummingbirds notice you, they for sure will fly away. This is why to be quiet and without moving is that important. 

 

Dear Liam, I know that at just 8 years old, you might not understand all the technical things I’ve mentioned here — and that’s perfectly okay. In time, you’ll learn all of it. The key word is time.

When it comes to photographing wildlife, being patient is essential. Staying quiet is very important. Moving slowly is key. Many animals and birds are territorial, and if you follow these simple rules, they’ll feel safe and return to the places they like. All you have to do is wait — and be ready to press the shutter button.